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PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 
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Ar:<   -5 1  1952 
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SCHOOLS  OF  THE  PEOPHETS. 


A  LECTURE, 

BY 

PROF.  H.  A.  THOMPSON, 

OF   WESTFIELD   COLLEGE, 


DELIVERED    BEFORE 


THE  I'NITID  BRETHREN  BOARD  OP  EDUCATION, 

IN   THE 

First  United  Brethren  Church,  Bayton,  0., 

AUGUST     2,     1871. 


DAYTON,  OHIO: 

United     I5retlirei^     Publisliiiig     TToitse, 

1872. 


A.  LECTURE 

ON   THE 

SCHOOLS  OF  THE  PROPHETS. 


"If  the  desire  to  become  a  priest  excite 
you,"  said  St.  Jerome  to  a  monk,  "  learn  that 
you  may  be  able  to  teach ;  pretend  not  to  be  a 
soldier  without  having  been  a  militiaman  and 
a  master  before  having  been  a  disciple."  A 
greater  than  Jerome,  when  He  had  finished 
his  work  on  earth,  had  risen  from  the  dead, 
and  was  on  the  eve  of  his  departure  to  share 
again  that  honor  with  his  Father  which  He 
had  for  a  time  put  aside;  when  He  was  consti- 
tuting his  church  and  delivering  to  them  their 
charter  for  all  time  to  come,  said  to  his  follow- 
ers :  "Go  ye  therefore,  and  make  disciples 
of  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost:  teaching  them  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever   I    have  commanded  you  : 


THE   SCHOOLS 


and,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world."  The  Great  Apostle  to 
the  gentiles,  having  received  both  his  knowl- 
edge of  the  gospel  and  his  commission  to  pro- 
claim it  from  the  great  Head  of  the  church, 
directed  Timothy,  and  through  him  the  church 
of  all  coming  time,  as  to  the  manner  of  sup- 
plying the  church  with  competent  teachers. 
"  The  things  which  thou  hast  heard  of  me 
among  many  witnesses,  the  same  commit  thou 
to  faithful  men,  who  shall  be  alls  to  teaoh 
others  also."  Under  the  Mosaic  dispensation 
the  law  and  the  ceremonies  growing  out  of  its 
observance  formed  the  principal  agency  in 
public  instruction.  In  Old  Testament  history, 
therefore,  the  priests  were  chiefly  occupied 
with  sacrificial  and  ritual  ceremonies,  with 
only  occasional  occupation  as  religious  teach- 
ers. Under  the  present  dispensation  the  sac- 
rificial law  has  been  abrogated,  and  the  priest 
of  the  present  must  be  the  teacher  of  the  peo- 
ple. Man  a  fallen  being,  ignorant  and  de- 
praved, without  a  knowledge  of  himself,  the 
character  of  God  and  of  the  relation  he  sus- 
tains to  him;  knowing  not  how  he  can  be 
saved,  his  nature  purified  or  his  sins  pardoned, 
needs  to  be  taught.     For  this  purpose  God 


OF   THE   PROPHETS.  5 

himself  instituted  the  "  ministry  of  reconciUa- 
tion ;"  commissioned  not  angels,  but  sent  man 
to  his  fellow-man,  that  he  might  persuade  him 
to  "flee  the  wrath  to  come;"  that  he  might 
teach  him  what  he  did  not  know,  and  yet 
needed  to  know.  If,  then,  his  chief  business 
be  to  teach,  as  the  apostle  instructed  Timothy, 
he  should  be  apt  to  teach;  if  apt  to  teach,  he 
must  be  capable  of  teaching.  If  the  priest's 
lips  are  to  keep  knowledge,  then  he  rau^t  pos- 
sess knowledge.  Timothy,  as  well  as  all  oth- 
ers who  came  after  him,  was  to  give  attention 
to  reading  as  well  as  to  exhortation;  to  meditate 
upon  these  things ;  to  give  himself  wholly  to 
them,  "that  his  profiting  might  appear  unto 
all." 

The  great  work  of  the  church,  therefore, 
the  great  business  of  the  gospel  minister,  is 
io  teach.  What  shall  he  teach?  Whatever 
God  has  revealed  for  the  good  of  fallen  man. 
In  what  manner  and  where  shall  he  find  the 
revelation  God  has  made  of  himself?  He  is 
taught  to  search  the  Scriptures,  that  is,  exam^ 
ine,  investigate,  and  find  out  their  contents. 
At  the  very  beginning  of  this  search  we  find 
ourselves  confronted  with  the  fact  that  one 
of  these  volumes   is   written  in   the  Hebrew 


6  THE  SCHOOLS 

and  the  other  in  the  Greek  language.  A  por- 
tion of  the  former  was  given  to  the  Jews 
before  the  captivity,  and  is  therefore  pure 
Hebrew.  A  few  books  written  after  that  are 
a  mixture  of  Chaldee  and  Hebrew.  The  New 
Testament  was  given,  in  the  time  of  Christ, 
to  the  Jews  of  Palestine,  who  bad  learned 
the  Greek  language,  hence  it  was  written  in 
mixed  Greek.  True,  these  volumes  have  both 
been  translated  into  English  for  the  benefit  of 
the  masses,  but  this  translation  is  not  inspired. 
It  is  sufiiciently  correct  for  ordinary  use,  but 
those  who  are  teachers  must  know  something 
more.  They  are  to  meet  and  contend  with  | 
men  who  will  not  receive  this  translation  as 
authoritative.  Often  the  meaning  of  a  pas- 
sage hinges  upon  the  original  meaning  of  a 
jingle  word,  and  they  must  be  able  to  go  back 
and  trace  its  history.  A  living  writer  has 
said  :  "The  man  who  goes  forth  to  proclaim 
the  gospel  should  be  able  to  read  it  at  least  in 
the  language  in  which  it  was  originally  form- 
ed. Why  should  a  man  go  forth  to  expound 
a  message  to  others  which  he  can  neither  read 
nor  understand  as  it  came  from  the  hand  of 
Him  who  commissions  him  ?  Can  there  be  a 
more  evident  unfitness  in  regard  to  qualifica- 


OF  THE   PROPHETS.  7 

tion  for  a  work,  than  to  be  ignorant  the  of 
very  document  which  it  is  the  main  business 
of  his  life  to  present  to  others  ?  It  is  almost 
too  absurd  for  grave  remark  to  speak  of  an 
embassador  who  can  not,  except  by  an  inter- 
preter, read  his  credentials ;  of  a  lawyer  who 
can  not  read  even  the  laws  which  he  ex- 
pounds;'of  a  teacher  who  can  not  read  even 
the  books  which  he  professes  to  teach;  and 
yet  the  melancholy  fact  has  existed  in  this 
land,  and  still  exists,  that  to  multitudes  of 
those  who  are  public  teachers  the  original 
languages  of  the  Scriptures  are  unapproached 
treasures,  and  that  the  confidence  with  which 
they  speak  is  that  of  men  who  depend  on  the 
testimony  of  others  for  a  knowledge  of  that 
which  it  is  their  appointed  business  to  know." 
This  is  strong  language ;  but  is  it  too  strong 
when  we  take  into  account  the  heresies, 
schisms,  and  false  doctrines  that  have  rent  the 
church,  not  to  say  destroyed  many  souls,  and 
which,  in  most  cases,  are  the  result  of  igno- 
rance ? 

When  the  learner  has  mastered  these  lan- 
guages, then  he  is  prepared  to  properly  begin 
searching  the  Scriptures.  Are  these  books  the 
Scriptures  f    Does  this  Hebrew  volume  contain 


8  THE   SCHOOLS 

all  it  contained  in  the  time  of  our  Savior? 
Has  nothing  been  added  and  nothing  lost? 
Does  this  Greek  volume  contain  the  books  and 
only  those  which  were  received  as  inspired  in 
the  apostolic  age?  He  ought  to  know  this; 
and  there  are  means,  if  he  will  use  them, 
whereby  these  questions  may  be  answered. 
When  he  has  the  proper  books  he  must  ask 
himself  whether  the  text  is  whole.  Possibly  it 
has  been  changed,  either  by  the  carelessness  of 
transcribers  or  by  designing  men  who  had  a 
purpose  to  accomplish ;  words  may  have  been 
omitted  or  inserted  and  the  meaning  altered. 
Some  maintain  that  the  text  is  correct,  others 
that  it  has  been  greatly  mutilated.  Scholars 
have  honestly  and  faithfully  examined  this 
question,  and  are  prepared  to  answer  it.  This 
question  will  meet  the  teacher  of  the  inspired 
word,  and,  if  true  to  his  calling,  he  must  be 
able  to  give  an  intelligent  answer.  Are  these 
books  genuine  ?  Have  they  been  written  by 
the  persons  whose  names  they  bear  ?  Have 
they  not  been  palmed  off  upon  a  credulous 
church  by  wicked  and  designing  men  ?  When 
and  where  were  they  written?  Are  they  in- 
spired? How  inspired;  as  to  words  or  ideas? 
Each  separate  book  was  probably  written  for  a 


OF   THE   PROPHETS. 


particular  purpose ;  what  was  that  purpose? 
How  will  a  knowledge  of  it  affect  our  under- 
standing of  the  book  ?  Do  we  need  anything  but 
the  Scriptures?  Are  these  a  sufficient  rule  of 
faith  and  practice  ?  Having  ascertained  that  we 
have  the  genuine  books,  how  shall  arrive  at 
their  true  naeaning?  Are  we  simply  to  attend 
to  the  grammatical  and  literal  meaning  of  the 
words,  and  to  the  idioms  of  the  languages  in 
which  they  are  written  ?  Is  this  literal  mean- 
ing always  the  correct,  the  ultimate  sense  ;  or  is 
there  a  spiritual  meaning  contained  underneath? 
Many  of  the  early  fathers  taught  a  double  sense 
of  scripture,  one  literal,  the  other  allegorical. 
The  followers  of  Swedenborg  even  go  farther 
and  claim  three  senses,  the  celestial,  spiritual, 
and  natural,  which  are  connected  by  corre- 
spondences. In  the  Old  Testament  it  is  certain 
that  many  of  the  persons,  occurrences,  and 
ceremonies  were  typical.  What  are  these,  and 
how  interpreted  ? 

To  settle  all  these  questions, — for  they  must 
be  settled  before  a  man  can  with  any  degree  of 
honesty  attempt  to  teach  them  to  others, — he 
must  consult  every  possible  source  of  informa- 
tion. He  must  know  something  of  ancient  his- 
ory  to  be  able  to  understand  the  frequent  ref- 


10  THE   SCHOOLS 

erences  to  surrounding  nations.  He  must 
examine  the  prophecies,  and  if  fulfilled  be  able 
to  tell  when  and  where.  He  must  be  conversant 
with  the  manners  and  customs  of  ancient 
nations,  and  of  those  at  present  occupying 
Bible  lands.  The  facts  of  chronology  and 
explorations  of  geography  must  be  sought  for 
to  throw  light  upon  vexed  questions  in  the 
Scripture  records.  His  business  is  to  explain 
the  Scriptures.  "  Every  man  who  stands  before 
others  to  preach  the  gospel,  stands  there  pro- 
fessing his  ability  to  explain,  define,  and  illus- 
trate the  book  of  God ;  to  meet  the  cavils  of 
its  enemies,  and  to  press  its  great  truths  on 
the  hearts  and  consciences  of  men.  His  very 
profession  implies  that  he  not  merely  believes, 
but  is  ahle  to  show  to  thinking  men  that 
this  is  a  revelation  from  God."  Whatever, 
therefore,  will  help  him  to  a  correct  knowledge 
of  the  contents  of  the  Bible,  and  aid  him  in 
presenting  that  truth  to  unconverted  men, 
must  be  known.  His  work  is  not  a  mere 
statement  of  the  elementary  principles  of  the 
gospel,  but  when  needed  he  must  explain  the 
various  parts,  whether  doctrinal,  historical, 
typical,  prophetic,  or  practical.  If  the  trans- 
lation be  erroneous  he  must  rectify,  must  rec- 


OF    THE   PROPHETS.  11 

oncile  apparent  contradictions  and  clear  up 
things  that  are  obscure.  He  is  set  for  the  de- 
fense of  the  gospel,  so  he  must  fortify  himself 
with  arguments  that  he  may  be  able  to  meet 
the  objections  of  infidels  and  put  to  silence 
their  cavils.  If  the  attack  should  come  from 
the  exhumed  records  of  history,  he  must  repel 
it.  If  the  army  gathers  on  the  field  of  natural 
science,  he  must  make  himself  master  of  the 
knowledge  necessary  to  meet  and  dislodge  the 
enemy.  He  must  solve  the  doubts  and  sus- 
tain the  consciences  of  believers;  must  give 
instruction  to  all  classes;  must  "reprove,  re- 
buke, and  exhort  with  all  long- suffering  and 
doctrine." 

Our  Presbyterian  friends  planned  wisely 
when  they  laid  the  foundations  of  their  theo- 
logical school.  Their  idea,  in  that  day,  of  a 
well-prepared  minister  was,  that  "he  must  be 
skilled  in  the  original  languages  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures;  he  must  be  versed  in  Jewish  and 
Christian  antiquities;  he  must  have  a  com- 
petent acquaintance  with  ancient  geography 
and  oriental  customs;  he  must  have  read  and 
digested  the  principal  arguments  and  writings 
relative  to  what  has  been  called  the  deistical 
controversy;  he  must  have  studied  carefully 


12  THE   SCHOOLS 

and  correctly  natural  theology,  together  with 
didactic,  polemic,  and  casuistic  divinity,  and 
be  able  to  support  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel 
by  a  ready,  pertinent,  and  abundant  quotation 
of  scripture  texts  for  that  purpose;  he  must 
have  a  considerable  acquaintance  with  general 
history  and  chronology,  and  a  particular  ac- 
quaintance with  the  history  of  the  Christian 
church ;  he  must  have  studied  attentively  the 
duties  of  the  pastoral  office,  the  form  of 
church  government  authorized  by  the  Script- 
ures, and  the  administration  of  it  as  practiced 
in  Protestant  churches."^  This  is  the  minimum 
of  qualifications;  other  branches  equally  im- 
portant ought  to  be  and  now  are  required. 

The  connection  between  all  parts  of  knowl- 
edge is  so  intimate,  and  its  bearing  upon  the 
pastoral  office  so  important,  that  it  is  difficult 
to  draw  the  dividing  line,  and  say  what  is 
necessary  and  what  not.  Some  kinds  of 
knowledge  are  more  necessary  than  others. 
Indeed  there  are  some  branches,  without  a 
knowledge  of  which  no  man  should  be  allowed 
to  take  upon  himself  the  obligations  of  a 
gospel  minister.  There  is  not  a  single  depart- 
ment in  the  whole  field  of  science  but  will  af- 

*Constitution  of  the  Tlieological  Seminary  of  the  rresbyteriau  Church. 


OF    THE    PUOPITETS.  '  13 

lord  treasures  that  at  some  period  in  bis  career 
will  be  of  great  value  to  him.  A  profound 
biblical  scholar,  himself  a  teacher  of  theology, 
once  deliberately  said,  "  There  is  scarcely  any 
science  or  branch  of  knowledge  which  may 
not  be  made  subservient  to  theology.  ISTatural 
history,  chemistry,  and  geology  have  sometimes 
been  of  important  service  in  assisting  the  bib- 
lical student  to  solve  difficulties  contained  in 
the  Scriptures,  or  in  enabling  him  to  repel  the 
assaults  of  adversaries  which  were  made  under 
cover  of  these  sciences.  A  general  acquaint- 
ance with  the  whole  circle  of  science  is  of 
more  consequence  to  the  theologian  than  at 
first  sight  appears.  'Not  to  mention  the  inti- 
mate connection  which  subsists  between  all  the 
parts  of  truth,  in  consequence  of  which  im- 
portant light  may  often  be  collected  from  the 
remotest  quarters,  it  may  be  observed  that 
the  state  of  learning  in  the  world  requires  the 
advocate  of  the  Bible  to  attend  to  many  things 
which  may  not  in  themselves  be  absolutely 
necessary.  He  must  maintain  his  standing  as 
a  man  of  learning  with  other  literary  men; 
otherwise  due  respect  will  not  be  paid  to  him, 
and  his  sacred  office  may  suffer  contempt  in 
consequence  of  his  appearing  to  be  ignorant  of 


14  THE   SCHOOLS 

what  it  is  expected  all  learned  men  should  be 
acquainted  with." 

Let  us  consider  the  persons  to  whom  this 
gospel  is  to  be  preached.  Men  who  have  re- 
belled against  God ;  whose  natures  are  sinful ; 
whose  hearts  are  hard.  This  word  comes  to 
them  to  reprove  them  for  their  sins  and  to  in- 
duce them  to  forsake  them.  There  is  nothing 
in  the  human  heart  to  make  such  a  message 
an  acceptable  one.  Everything  sets  itself 
against  it.  Excuses  are  sought  for  in  order  to 
evade  its  teaching.  Hence  the  greater  task 
presented  to  the  minister.  He  must  ply  his 
hearers  with  well-founded  arguments,  aided 
by  all  the  facts  of  history,  of  observation,  and 
those  gathered  from  his  own  mental  structure, 
that  will  help  him  to  subdue  this  evil  heart  of 
unbelief. 

If  there  be  any  one  thing  for  which  this  age 
is  especially  distinguished  it  is  for  the  general 
distribution  of  knowledge.  In  olden  times 
the  few  thought  and  led  the  many;  now  all 
think.  Books  are  found  on  the  tables  of  the 
lowliest.  Science  and  literature  have  opened 
wide  their  gates  to  all.  Our  free  common- 
scliool  system  has  put  the  means  of  acquiring 
a  liberal   culture  in  the   hands  of  everv  one. 


OF  THE   PEUPriETS.  15 

Books,  papers,  magazines,  are  as  thick  as 
"Vallambrosa's  leaves."  We  all  read,  and,  as 
a  necessary  consequence,  we  all  think  more  or 
less.  In  political  campaigns  the  most  illiterate 
are  brought  face  to  face  with  fine  thinkers  and 
great  thoughts,  and,  willingly  or  unwillingly, 
the  great  deep  of  their  minds  is  more  or  less 
broken  up.  Almost  every  mechanic  takes, 
reads,  digests,  and  talks  about  the  contents  of 
his  daily  paper.  Questions  that  puzzled  the 
brains  of  philosophers  in  former  times  are 
now  easily  and  satisfactorily  settled  around  the 
anvil  of  the  blacksmith.  The  competitions  of 
trade,  the  contact  of  mind  with  mind  when 
fellow-laborers  meet  in  societies  or  conventions 
for  mutual  improvement,  all  have  a  quicken- 
ing power.  Formerly  men  wrote  for  a' class; 
now  that  class  is  the  great  masses.  Reaching 
the  leaders  will  not  reach  the  people;  they  are 
becoming  more  and  more  their  own  leaders ; 
not  willing  to  follow  the  ipse  dixit  of  any  man, 
unless  it  be  fortified  by  a  good  reason  for  his 
faith. 

This  age  has  made  great  advancement  in 
natural  science,  and  people  are  having  great 
faith  in  scientific  methods.  The  method 
of  science    is  inductive:   it  is  tlie  method   of 


iQ  THE   SCHOOLS 

caution — the  skeptical  method.    The  inductive 
reasons  from  individual  facts  to  general  prin- 
ciples;   the    deductive,  which  has  long   pre- 
vailed in  theology,  from  general  principles  to 
particulars.     The  scientific  or  inductive  meth- 
od is  very  rigorous,  but  in  science  has  pro- 
duced   great   results.     Its   tendency   is    to   a 
skeptical  turn  of  mind,  but  it  bears  fruit  and 
people   believe   in   it.     That  which  gives  us 
Atlantic  cables.  Pacific  railways,  and  such  im- 
provements, can  not  be  useless.     Men  are  be- 
ginning to  clamor  for  the  scientific  method  in 
everything.      The    spirit    which    they    have 
learned  in  natural  science  they  will  carry  with 
them  into  their  business,  especially  into  their 
theology.    Scientists  are  discerning  the  signs  of 
the  times,  and  are  making  their  appeals  not  to 
savans  of  learning,  but  to  the  reading  masses. 
Huxley  and  Darwin,  and  Youmans  and  Tyn- 
dal,  are  put  up  in  form  for  general  distribu- 
tion, and  the  great  multitude  read,  think,  and 
form  opinions  concerning  their  teachings.    As 
far  as  their  ability  will  permit,  they  are  rigor-  ^ 
ous   in   this   examination.     There  is  nothing 
very  alarming  in  this  state  of  things,  unless 
we  refuse  to  see  it  and  to  use  it.     Men  want 
clear  ideas;  they  want  to  sec  the  truth.     They 


OF   THE    PROPHETS.  17 

want  a  reason  for  their  faith.  This  same  clear^ 
ness  of  seeing  and  teaching  must  be  carried 
into  our  theological  creeds.  Men  no  longer 
shut  their  eyes  and  gulp  down  without  an 
effort  whatever  is  presented  to  them.  They 
believe  because  reason  and  faith  coincide,  and 
not  because  reason  utterly  condemns, 

'■Doubts  to  the  world's  child-heart  unknown 
Question  us  now  from  star  and  stone; 
The  power  is  lost  to  self-deceive 
With  hollow  forms  of  make-believe,'' 

'^The  London  Spectator^  a  year  or  two 
ago,  predicted  that  the  close  of  this  century 
would  be  a  period  of  the  blackest  unbelief  ever 
known  to  European  history."*  Whether  this 
prophecy  is  likely  to  be  fulfilled  w^e  are  unable  to 
say;  but  it  is  evident  that  the  various  forms  of 
practical  unbelief  are  increasing  to  an  alarming 
extent.  The  people  are  in  greater  danger  than 
ever.  Increased  endowments  always  bring  a 
more  weighty  responsibility.  In  former  times 
we  sought  power  over  the  scholars,  now  we 
want  power  with  the  people.  If  the  pulpit 
does  not  keep  pace,  yea,  keep  in  advance  of  the 
growth  of  the  people,  then  they  will  turn  else- 
where and  seek  other  teachers.     Has  it  kept 

*.M.  r.  Q.  Review. 
9 


Ig  THE   SCHOOLS 

pace  with  this  advancement?  When  those 
questionings  of  our  inner  nature,  fraught  with 
deep  and  startling  significance,  arise  and  clam- 
or for  solution,  have  we  a  clergy  who  can  meet 
and  grapple  with  them?  If  the  preacher 
skips  these  difficulties,  or  carelesssly  brushes 
them  aside,  as  it  is  said  many  commentators 
do,  then  men  lose  faith  in  his  ability  to  be  a 
spiritual  guide.  Among  educated  and  unedu- 
cated there  are  already  misgivings  as  to  the 
growth  of  the  pulpit.  Allow  that  some  of  these 
thinsfs  are  said  and  believed  from  a  desire  to  be- 
lieve  them ;  yet  there  is  enough  of  truth  in  them 
to  awaken  our  most  serious  apprehension. 
Says  the  North  American  Review,  ''It  is  no  long- 
er sarcasm  to  use  the  phrase  ^pulpit  argument' 
for  'weak  reasoning,'  and  'pulpit  rhetoric'  for 
a  feeble  and  stilted  style."  The  same  authority 
says,  "A  church  is  a  simple  assemblage  of  per- 
sons, gathered  to  go  through  with  certain  formal 
ceremonies,  the  chief  of  which  consists  in  listen- 
ing to  a  man  who  is  seldom  competent  to  teach." 
The  most  scholarly  of  the  Boston  papers.  The 
Nation^  is  pleased,  and  says  there  is  nothing 
new  in  the  assertion,  for  our  most  thoughful 
people  everywhere  believe  it,  but  the  Bcview 
has  had  the  courage  to  say  it.    The  means  you 


OF  THE    PilOiniETS.  I'j 

are  at  present  employing  for  the  establishing 
of  a  seminary,  where  your  clergy  may  receive 
a  more  generous  culture,  is  evidence  of  the 
fact  that  you  believe  there  is  much  truth  in 
the  complaint.  The  fact  that  all  our  oldest 
seminaries  are  demanding  that  another  year  of 
study  be  added  to  the  three  already  provided 
for,  and  that  arrangements  be  made  for  a  num- 
ber of  lectureships,  all  look  in  the  same  direc- 
tion. The  same  ferment  is  going  on  in  En- 
gland and  on  the  continent;  and  the  subject  of 
theological  education  is  attracting  much  atten- 
tion. 

The  preaching  of  the  past  will  not  answer 
the  demands  of  the  present.  You  and  I  have 
sat  and  listened  to  what  was  supposed,  in  its 
day,  to  be  wonderful  preaching.  Although 
heard  years  ago  the  preacher  stands  before 
our  memories  with  the  vividness  of  to-day. 
The  subject  and  occasion,  if  we  should  judge 
from  his  manner,  seemed  an  important  one. 
It  required  but  little  time  for  him  to  become 
interested,  then  anxious.  Soon  his  whole  na- 
ture seemed  to  be  aroused  to  its  utmost  tension. 
His  intense  feelings,  his  ardent  emotions  were 
almost  uncontrollable.  At  times  and  by  turns 
his  arms  would  fly  out  from  his  body,  with  as 


20  THE   SCHOOLS 

much  regularity  and  power  as  the  governor  of 
a  steam-engine ;    at  times  he  would  saw  the 
air  with  terrible  fury.     "When  his  convictions 
seemed  the  strongest,  he  would  leap  from  side 
to  side,  would  stamp  the  floor  until  you  trem- 
bled for  the  foundations  beneath;  the  leaves  of 
the  blessed  book  he  almost  ground  under  his 
poundings.     "When  tearing  a  passion  to  tatters 
there  was  every  indication  that  his  vocal  chords 
would   soon  be   in  the   same   condition.     He 
either  thought  his  hearers  were  deaf  or  that 
they  were   located   at   a  great  distance;   for 
the  melody  of  his  tone  was  like  the  richness 
and   sweetness  of  a  locomotive.     The  most 
tender  and  touching  passages  were  given  in 
thunder  tones,  to  produce  a  more  signal  efiect 
Passages  that  in  sense  demanded  earnest,  sol- 
emn, severe   expression  were   rendered  with 
tears.     His  face  at  times  seemed  a  live  coal  of 
fire.     Forced  tears   would   chase    each    other 
down  his  cheek,  although  there  was  nothing 
very  affecting  in  the  sentiment.     If  the  sermon 
was  written,  of  which  it  gave   no    evidence, 
like  that  of  the  English  minister,  you   would 
find  every  few  lines  the  large  capitals  W.  H., 
which,  being  interpreted,  means  "weep  here." 
At  last,  overcome  with  his  efforts,  almost  ex- 


OF   THE    PROPHETS.  21 

hausted,  he  sits  down  with  the  full  belief  that 
he  done  a  great  work.  The  people  are  not 
much  interested;  when  he  wept  no  others 
wept.  Many  were  nodding,  and  had  it  not 
been  for  the  unusual  noise  would  have  been 
asleep.  Ko  faces  that  seem  to  be  alive  with 
expression  or  aglow  with  interest ;  no  hearts 
that  seem  broken  up  by  his  tender  appeals. 
He  is  not  troubled  about  these  things.  He 
has  done  his  duty,  has  made  a  great  effort, 
and  he  now  submissively  leaves  the  result 
to  God.  If  there  is  no  great  good  done,  nor 
any  indications  of  good,  he  is  not  respon- 
sible. 

Why  were  there  no  indications  of  good? 
Simply  because  the  whole  thing  was  a  decep- 
tion, and  not  even  complete  at  that.  It  was 
an  acted  farce  that  all  could  read.  Intense 
feelings  are  not  made  to  order.  Eeligious 
earnestness  is  the  result  of  deep  convictions,  and 
there  were  no  convictions  here.  The  hearers 
went  away,  at  least  the  unconverted  part  did, 
with  the  word  hombast  on  their  thoughts,  if  they 
did  not  utter  it  with  their  lips.  This  man  did  not 
consider,  that  is,  sit  down  with  his  subject  and 
turn  it  over  in  his  mind,  and  look  at  it  from 
every  side,  until  it  began  to  ferment  and  pro- 


22  THE   SCHOOLS 

duce  intense  conviction.  He  did  not  calmly 
arrange  his  plan  for  his  audience,  nor  take  in- 
to account  their  habits  of  thought  and  life  and 
what  would  reach  them.  He  did  not,  as  was 
said  of  Eufus  Choate  by  his  associates, "  always 
go  in  for  the  verdict."  The  listeners  saw  that 
what  he  said  was  officially  said,  and  not  be- 
cause his  whale  nature  was  alive  to  its  im- 
portance. John  Knox  never  preached  such 
sermons,  and  no  man  should.  When  he 
went  into  the  pulpit  from  his  study  and  his 
knees,  people  listened  and  trembled.  When 
Martin  Luther  with  a  well-filled  mind,  with 
intense  convictions  and  reasons  for  those  con- 
victions, and  with  a  warm,  earnest  zeal,  as  a 
result  of  such  convictions,  addressed  his  fel- 
low-men, his  vrords  were  half  battles.  They 
came  with  power  and  broke  in  pieces  hard 
hearts. 
'  It  is  no  small  thing  to  preach  successfully; 
and  those  who  think  otherwise  have  no  true 
conception  of  the  work.  It  is  no  by-play,  no 
i;nere  pastime.  It  requires  the  best  talents 
united  with  the  best  culture.  God  means  by 
the  'foolishness  of  preaching"  to  save  the 
world,  but  not  by  such  foolish  preaching  as 
just  described;  and  yet  there  are  not  a  few 


OF   THE    PROPHETS.  23 

who  have  just  such  a  conception  of  this  great 
work. 

I  have  seen  men  who  certainl}'- sat  for  a  por- 
trait of  themselves  when  Prof.  Hopkins,  of 
Yale  College,  penned  these  words :  "  Although 
it  may  be  an  ungracious  thing  to  say  it,  there 
are  ministers  who  are  not  and  do  not  seek  to 
be  inspired.  They  will  not  labor  to  preach 
well;  they  will  not  even  learn  the  outward 
collateral  means  and  accomplishments  of  their 
profession ;  they  will  not  learn  how  to  write ; 
they  will  not  trouble  themselves  about  the 
simplest  rhetorical  culture;  they  will  not  mend 
awkward  habits  of  delivery;  they  will  not 
correct  a  false  tone  or  harsh  pronunciation  ; 
they  will  not  take  pains  to  acquire  the  art  of 
public  speaking,  so  that  they  can  address  an 
assembly  upon  any  subject  with  effect ;  but 
above  all  they  will  not  grapple  with  the  real 
difficulties  of  the  setting  forth  of  divine  truth 
in  preaching,  which  requires  thought,  clear  ar- 
rangement of  ideas,  spiritual  meditation,  and 
earnest  prayer.  They  are  doing  all  other 
things  except  giving  their  undivided  energies 
to  preaching.  They  say  there  is  no  need  to 
take  so  much  trouble  about  these  things,  for 
they  will  be  helped  at  the  time  of  preaching. 


24  THE   SCHOOLS 

But  those  wLq  say  that  are  those  who  above 
all  others  need  this  thorough  training;  for  in 
God's  work,  as  well  as  in  man's,  those  who  do 
not  work  are  not  helped." 

In  addition  to  this  general  culture,  that  I 
have  spoken  of  and  which  the  majority  should 
have,  we  want  the  opportunity  given  for  a 
richer,  more  finished,  and  more  accurate  schol- 
arship. The  American  divine  is  far  behind 
the  German  in  this  respect,  because  the  Ger- 
man course  of  instruction  is  far  more  thorough. 
It  is  plain  to  all  that  our  most  finished  bib- 
lical scholars  are  Germans,  and  that  our  most 
critical  theological  writings  are  the  products 
of  German  minds.  Discussions  are  going  on 
about  us  designed  to  remove  the  very  founda- 
tions of  theism.  Some  of  the  best  scientific 
minds  of  the  age  are  at  work  investigating 
questions  which  if  settled  as  they  desire  to 
have  them  settled  will  strike  a  severe  blow 
against  the  superstructure  of  our  faith.  We 
must  meet  all  these  by  a  competent,  thorough, 
accurate  scholarship,  which  will  thoroughly 
explain  the  Scriptures  and  subjects  connected 
therewith.  I  can  not  do  justice  to  this  subject 
better^han  by  quoting  a  lengthy  though  very 
expressive  paragraph  from  Professor  Bartlett, 


OF   THE   PROPHETS.  JO 

found  in  the  March  number  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Review: 

"  What  is  the  trouble  with  the  youn^  Chris- 
tian students  of  this  country,  that  they  do  not 
comprehend  the  situation  and  the  opportuni- 
ty ?  that  they  can  ^discern  the  face  of  the  sky' 
or  the  crust  of  the  earth  but  not  the  signs  of 
the  times?  What  region  is  now  so  full  of 
activity  and  possibility?  What  so  loudly  calls 
for  explorers?  Even  didactic  theology  is 
forced  out  of  its  ancient  metaphysical  methods 
to  fall  back  more  and  more  on  questions  of 
critical  readings  and  sound  interpretations. 
The  old  Moabite  stone  admonishes  us  how 
biblical  knowledge  has  been  lying  on  the 
very  surface  of  the  earth  and  waiting  2100 
years  for  some  one  to  pick  it  up.  There  is 
probably  more  of  the  same  or  of  other  kinds 
of  iiiscovery  to  be  made  in  the  same  region. 
The  Palestine  Exploration  Society  will  not 
have  exhausted  all  Palestine  and  the  surround- 
ing regions.  Rich  harvests  will  remain  to  be 
reaped.  Some  carefal  scholar  still  is  wanted 
to  thoroughly  compare,  from  personal  observa- 
tion, all  the  supposed  routes  of  Israel  to  Sinai 
and  the  land  beyond,  and  to  judge  between 
them.     The  cuneiform  inscriptions  of  Baby- 


26  THE  SCHOOLS 

Ionia  and  the  hieroglyphic  records  of  Egypt  are 
not  exhausted.  The  'Egyptologists'  need  look- 
ing after,  to  say  nothing  of  Chinese  records. 
The  region  of  Caucasus  and  of  Armenia  offer 
points  of  inquiry  that  Colonel  Chesney  did 
not  touch.  We  want  a  carefully  collated  and 
corrected  Septuagint,  and  an  investigation,  if 
possible,  of  the  differences  between  it  and  the 
Hebrew  and  Samaritan.  We  want  a  fuller  in- 
quiry into  the  Samaritan  MSS.  at  Xablous,  and 
their  claim  to  antiquity.  What  Hebrew  Tisch- 
endorf  will  ascertain  what  is  possible  to  be  done 
for  the  Hebrew  text  of  the  Old  Testament,  and 
begin  the  work.  The  table  of  nations  in  the 
tenth  chapter  of  Genesis  will  bear  further  in- 
quiry. The  history  and  composition  of  several 
of  the  books  of  the  Bible  are  under  contro- 
versy. Seeming  discrepancies  are  still  to  be 
reconciled,  difficulties  solved  and  wrong  inter- 
pretations to  be  rectified  throughout  the  Bible. 
Whole  books  of  scripture  wait  for  an  expos- 
itor, writing  wisely  with  the  present  materials. 
iS'o  field  of  inquiry,  indeed,  is  so  busy,  so  invit- 
ing, so  fruitful,  and  so  hopeful  as  that  of  bib- 
lical hlcrature.  .".I^one  so  urgent  in  its  call  for 
laborers;  and  yet,  in  this  country,  where  are 
they  ?      How  many  men  in  this  country  were 


OF   THE   PROPHETS.  'Z  i 


able  to  reply  to  even  such  a  man  as  Colenso  ? 
How  many  can  intelligently  defend  the  author- 
ship of  the  Pentateuch,  of  the  latter  part  of 
Isaiah,  of  Zechariah,  and  the  antiquity  of 
Daniel  ?  Or,  to  be  very  practical,  how  many 
of  the  young  ministers  are  approaching  the 
position  of  Dr.  Payson  in  his  prime,  when  he 
was  said  to  have  a  settled  opinion  concerning 
every  passage  in  the  Bible?  and  that,  too,  when 
keen  skepticism  may  crop  out  in  any  congre- 
gation in  the  land,  no  matter  how  remote." 
What  an  accusation  against  the  Christian 
scholars  of  the  age,  and  yet  how  true!  Let 
those  who  hear  me  answer  for  themselves  the 
question,  What  has  this  church  done,  and  what 
contributions  is  it  now  making  to  the  biblical 
literature  of  the  day? 

I  can  but  hint  at  another  important  fact, 
and  that  is  that  ministers  of  the  gospel  have 
controlled,  and  likely  will  control,  the  so-called 
secular  education  of  the  people.  The  Nation 
Sometime  since  asserted  that  ministers  are  un- 
fit to  be  educators.  It  is  true,  nevertheless, 
that  they  have  been  in  times  past,  and  it  must 
be  confessed  that  they  have  succeeded  much 
better  than  their  infidel  neighbors.  They  have 
given  the  chief  stamp  to  learning  and  general 


28  THE   SCHOOLS 

intelligence  as  well  as  the  morals  and  religion 
of  every  age.  Secular  learning  must  ever  be 
under  obligations  to  Christianity  for  what  it  has 
done  for  it.  Wherever  these  ministers  go 
they  carry  with  them  that  spirit  which  estab- 
lishes schools  and  provokes  inquiry.  Almost 
all  the  colleges  of  this  land  that  have  attained 
any  notoriety  have  been  founded,  of&cered,  and 
taught  almost  exclusively  by  clergymen;  and 
to-day  these  ministers  are  the  presidents  and 
professors  in  our  colleges;  members  of  boards 
of  trustees  and  education ;  in  short,  control  to  a 
great  extent  the  educational  interests  of  the 
nation.  John  Calvin  was  not  only  a  founder 
of  a  "school  of  the  prophets,  and  friend  of  edu- 
cation," but,  according  to  Bancroft,  the  "in- 
ventor of  free  schools."  The  schools  of  New 
England  owe  their  existence  and  prosperity  to 
the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  and  their  descendants. 
To  write  the  history  of  schools  and  of  learning 
would  be  to  write  the  history  of  the  church. 
In  the  dark  ages,  which  have  been  well  named, 
there  were  no  schools,  and  no  learning  save 
that  in  the  hands  of  the  clergy.  "iN'ot  only 
does  not  irreligion  build  colleges,  but,  in  all 
ages,  such  has  been  the  affinity  of  mental  de- 
velopment with  religion,  that  piety  has  been 


OF    THE   PROPHETS.  29 

the  founder  aad  the  priest  has  been  the  edu- 
cator. The  cause  lies  in  the  fact  that  true  in- 
tellectual culture  and  religion  are  alike  an 
aspiration  and  ascent  of  man's  higher  faculites 
toward  the  Divine."*  We  want  a  well-quali- 
fied and  intelligent  ministry  therefore,  because 
the  educational  interests  not  only  of  the 
church  but  of  the  nation  are  in  their  hands. 

Likewise  in  the  field  of  general  literature  we 
need  such  men.  The  press  has  become  one  of 
the  most  important  powers  in  the  land.  Daily 
its  thousands  of  sheets  are  sent  forth  to  the 
multitude  who,  with  open  hands,  are  ready  to 
receive  them.  We  need  men  of  clear  vision, 
well-balanced  judgment,  unlimited  acquisitions 
of  knowledge,  and  ready  with  the  pen,  to 
manage  the  religious  literature  of  the  church. 
Tracts,  earnest,  pointed,  and  pithy,  are  to  be 
prepared  for  the  masses.  Sabbath-school 
books  of  an  improved  quality  are  needed  for 
the  children.  Sermons  on  special  occasions 
should  be  printed  and  distributed  broadcast. 
Contributions  to  the  secular  press  from  the 
pen  of  the  minister  would  be  of  great  value. 
He  should  not  only  be  a  fair  speaker,  but  be 
ready   with    the   pen,   so   as    to  put    his  best 

'-M.  r:.  Quartorly,  1-7",  p,  HI.  * 


30  THE   SCHOOLS 

thoughts  on  paper,  iu  good,  chaste  language, 
and  thus  send  them  forth  to  cultivate  the 
minds,  purify  the  tastes,  and  promote  the  mor- 
al good  of  his  readers.  Many  of  the  best 
ministers  of  the  land  are  leaving  their  pulpits, 
and  in  the  editor's  chair  are  helping  to  mold 
the  minds  of  the  nation.  Others  preach  to 
their  own  people  on  Sabbath,  and  before  the 
beginning  of  another  week  their  thoughts  have 
been  heralded  all  over  the  continent,  and  have 
left  their  impress,  for  weal  or  woe,  on  the 
minds  of  thousands.  What  a  power,  then, 
the  efficient  minister  can  w^ield  with  his  pen 
in  addition  to  his  weekly  ministrations  to  his 
own  people. 

Have  not  the  hastily  written  thoughts  to 
which  you  have  just  listened,  strengthened 
you  in  the  belief  that  fearful  responsibilities 
rest  upon  the  man  who  to-daj^  goes  forth  to 
preach  the  gospel ;  that  a  thoughtful,  earnest, 
pious,  intelligent  ministry  is  an  absolute  want 
of  the  times,  and  that  without  it  the  work  of 
the  church  will  be  greatly  crippled ;  that  if 
we  longer  put  off  making  an  eftbrt  to  provide 
such  a  ministry  for  the  masses  of  perishing 
sinners,  then  will  we  be  derelict  in  the  per- 
formance of  duty,  and  call   down    upon   our- 


OF   THE    PROPHETS.  31 

selves  the  deserved  indiofiiation  of  thinkino: 
men  and  the  disapprobation  of  our  heavenly 
Father? 

How,  then,  can  we  best  secure  such  a  Tiiinistryf 
I  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  saying  that 
we  should  in  no  case  license  men  to  preach 
the  gospel  unless  they  are  persons  of  such  dis- 
tinguished scholarship.  Few  if  any  of  the 
apostles  had  such  general  ability  and  culture 
as  Paul.  The  best  interests  of  this  church 
and  of  Christendom  m^iy  require  us  to  use 
men  of  ordinary  talents  and  not  too  varied  in- 
formation. I  do  say,  however,  that  if  there 
be  any  reason  for  the  existence  of  this  church 
at  all;  if  there  be  any  need  of  a  well-taught 
ministry;  then  w^e  must  afford  facilities  for 
the  best  culture  the  nation  aifords.  If  God 
needs  this  particular  church,  then  it  is  under 
as  much  obligation  as  any  other  worker  in  the 
vineyard  to  send  forth  men  who  can  cope  with 
the  giants  of  infidelity;  who  can  meet  the 
learned  teachers  of  heathenism  and  conquer 
them  on  their  own  ground.  We  must  help 
prepare  men  to  know  science  as  well  as  reve- 
lation ;  who  shall  be  able  to  unfold  God's 
plans  as  revealed  in  nature,  as  well  as  in  his 
written  word;  who  shall  write  the  books  of 


32  'l^HE   SCHOOLS 

the  nation,  and  help  give  the  masses  a  religious 
literature;  who  by  dint  of  faithful  study  shall 
help  to  thow  light  upon  the  obscure  places  of 
Scripture,  unravel  its  mysteries,  and  by  all 
means  in  their  power  bring  shame  and  con- 
fusion upon  their  adversaries.  I  repeat  again, 
w^e  are  under  obligations  to  afibrd  facilities  for 
this  highest  culture  to  all  who  may  have  taste 
and  talents  thus  to  distinguish  themselves, 
and  in  this  way  help  to  give  the  church  a 
class  of  biblical  scholars  who  shall  bring  great 
honor  to  the  cause  of  the  Master. 

How  can  all  this  be  accomplished  ?  Three 
methods  suggest  themselves.  One  is,  to  leave 
candidates  wholly  to  their  own  efforts,  to  make 
what  preparation  their  time  and  tastes  will 
permit.  We  have  certainly  tried  this  method 
long  enough  to  desire  a  better  way.  Another 
is,  to  have  the  applicant  under  the  instruction 
of  some  other  person  whom  he  may  select,  and 
allow  him  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of  his  example, 
experience,  and  teaching.  This  is  better  than 
the  former,  but  very  objectionable.  The  third 
and  best  of  all  is,  to  collect  these  young  men 
into  one  body,  in  the  form  of  a  school,  and 
o-ive  them  instruction  in  this  collective  form, 
as  is  done  with  our  students  in  college.     The 


OP  THE   PROPHETS.  M 

latter  method  is  more  judicious  and  more  com- 
mendable every  way. 

In  a  seminary  thus  organized  the  pupils 
have  the  benefit  of  good  teachers,  which  can 
not  so  well  be  secured  in  any  other  way. 
When  the  church  organizes  such  an  institu* 
tion,  then  she  should  select  the  most  com- 
petent men  in  her  limits  to  instruct  her  pupils— 
men  of  piety,  of  learning,  of  good  character, 
and  apt  to  teach.  Churches  usually  are  not 
overburdened  with  such  characters,  hence  if 
each  candidate  seek  his  own  teacher  many  of 
them,  as  a  necessary  consequence,  must  have 
very  ordinary  instruction;  and  many  of  them 
will  receive  the  very  kind  of  tuition  they 
ought  not  to  have.  The  church  selects  these 
men  for  their  learning  and  other  qualifications, 
and  requires  them  to  give  their  whole  time  to 
the  instruction  and  welfare  of  their  pupils, 
To  make  the  instruction  more  complete,  and  if 
possible  more  thorough,  instead  of  teaching 
everything  as  a  single  instructor  must  do, 
these  men  are  put  in  charge  of  separate  de- 
partments of  instruction  and  have  opportu- 
nity to  make  themselves  proficient  in  their  de- 
partments and  of  very  great  advantage  to  their 
pupils. 


34  THE   SCHOOLS 

In  addition  to  this  a  library  can  be  formed, 
to  which  all  can  have  access;  and  this  is  no 
slight  consideration.  In  this  age  of  learning, 
when  so  much  of  the  knowledge  of  the  past 
and  present  is  treasured  up  in  books,  pupils 
should  become  familiar  with  sources  of  in- 
formation which  no  individual  minister  can 
afford  to  possess,  much  less  a  minister  of  this 
church.  Led  and  guided  by  men  who  have 
made  books  the  study  of  a  life-time,  they  can 
"give  attention  to  reading,"  and  thus  by  a 
generous,  liberal  culture  be  fitted  for  their 
work. 

One  of  the  greatest  advantages  of  a  seminary 
is  the  fact  that  the  church  can  thus  control 
the  teaching;  can  see  that  it  be  sound  and 
thorough;  can  direct  and  control  instructors; 
can  at  all  times  make  such  changes  and  im- 
provements as  the  counsels  of  the  whole 
body  may  devise.  If  left  to  individual  enter- 
prise the  teaching  may  be  defective,  ill- 
judged,  unsound  indeed,  and  the  church  not 
be  able  to  interpose  or  correct.  When  the 
church  provides  and  controls  the  means, 
then  and  then  only  can  she  secure  uniform  in- 
struction; and  thus  she  will  receive  in  return  a 
body  of  ministers  who  have  enjoyed  the  same 


OF    THE    PKOVllETS.  :^5 

uniform  course  of  education.  Men  who  have 
learned  from  the  same  teachers,  who  have  re- 
cited in  the  same  classes,  wall  be  almost  certain 
to  agree  in  the  main  principles  of  gospel  truth. 
The  unity,  peace,  and  prosperity  of  the  church 
are  thus  secured.  If  every  man  is  instructed  by 
a  different  teacher,  each  one  of  wdiom  will  have 
his  peculiar  veiws  of  truth, — and  these  peculiar 
views,  by  the  w^ay,  are  those  we  are  prone  to 
insist  upon  most  earnestly, — his  own  peculiar- 
ities of  expression,  his  owm  opinion,  especially 
on  minor  points  of  doctrine  and  discipline,  how 
long  will  the  church  be  likely  to  teach  sound 
doctrine?  In  no  better  way  perhaps  could 
error  creep  into  the  church,  the  harmony  and 
peace  of  our  ecclesiastical  bodies  be  injured, 
and  disaffection,  and  eventually  schism,  arise. 
It  is  important  to  add  that  when  the  church 
in^his  way  provides  for  the  instruction  of  her 
candidates  for  the  ministry,  they  may  be  of 
great  service  to  each  other.  Only  in  this  way 
can  they  develop  that  class  spirit  wdiich  every 
teacher  finds  to  be  of  great  value  in  advancing 
his  pupils.  As  iron  sharpeneth  iron,  so  the 
contact  of  mind  with  mind.  This  generous 
rivalry  and  daily  intercourse  of  pious  young 
men  tittins^  themselves  for  the  same  great  w^ork, 


THE    SCHOOL; 


can  Jiot  fail  to  lead  to  more  faithful  applica- 
tion, more  patient  study,  more  diligent  re- 
search, to  richer  acquirements  and  to  a  more 
indelible  impression  upon  their  minds  of  that 
which  is  learned,  than  could  possibly  be  se- 
cured by  persons  of  such  age  in  solitary  study. 

Among  other  advantages  it  may  not  be 
amiss  to  mention  those  early  friendships 
which  are  here  formed,  and  which  only  end 
with  life;  exerting  a  good  mutual  influence, 
producing  confidence  and  assistance  in  the 
trials  and  labors  incident  to  a  ministers  life, 
and  strengthening  official  comfort  and  use- 
fulness. These  friendships  would  tend  to 
bring  ministers  together  more  frequently  in 
church  assemblies,  and  would  facilitate  and 
promote  those  consultations  concerning  plans 
of  research,  new  and  interesting  publications, 
methods  of  church  work  and  church  progress, 
which  could  not  fail  to  be  of  very  great  profit 
to  all  concerned. 

These  are  some  of  the  considerations  which 
should  lead  every  thoughtful  mind  to  the  con- 
clusion that  if  the  church  desires  to  increase 
the  number  of  her  ministers ;  if  she  wishes  to 
give  them  the  best  preparation  in  her  power, 
at  the  least  expense  of  money  and  men;  if 


OP    THE    PROPHETS.  3^^ 

she  wishes  to  present  tiieni  as  one  body,  united 
together  in  the  same  great  view  of  doctrine  and 
discipline,  and  adhering  with  uniformity  to  the 
doctrines  of  the  church;  if  she  wishes  to  pre- 
vent error  and  schism  from  creeping  into  her 
body  and  destroying  her  usefuhiess  ;  if  she 
wishes  her  ministers  to  be  educated  under 
such  circumstances  as  shall  best  fit  them  to  act 
together  in  all  great  plans  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  Master's  cause,  then  let  her  edu- 
cate them  under  her  own  eye  and  control, 
under  the  same  teachers,  reciting  in  the  same 
classes,  in  the  same  course  of  study,  and  under 
those  circumstances  of  early  friendship  and 
generous  competiton  which  attend  a  public 
seminary  managed  and  controlled  by  the 
church. 

In  favor  of  this  plan  the  best  experience  and 
the  practice  of  the  church  in  all  ages  may  be 
confidently  urged.  As  all  scripture  is  given 
for  our  instruction,  let  us  go  back  and  search 
the  records  of  Old  Testament  history. 

Christ  was  prophesied  of  as  the  One  who 
should  come,  the  great  teacher  wdio  should 
teach  mankind  truths  they  had  never  heard  nor 
known.  Before  he  should  come  the  people 
had    to   be  taught — to   be    lifted    np   so   they 


38  THE  SCHOOLS 

could  understand  and  put  themselves  in  accord 
with  such  truth.  An  ignorant,  illiterate  peo- 
ple could  not  have  done  this.  How  could  He 
have  founded  a  church,  where  found  disciples, 
or  who  would  have  recorded  his  wonderful 
lessons?  That  people  could  not  have  been  in 
a  low  state  of  mental  culture  whose  fishermen 
and  tax-gatherers  could  understand  and  record 
our  Lord's  teachings.  The  Jews  were  a  well- 
taught  peopl;^,  and  their  teachers  had  laid  the 
foundations  upon  which  our  Lord  when  he 
came  began  to  build.  This  is  implied  in  many 
of  our  Savior's  questions :  "  Have  ye  not  read 
in  the  Scriptures?"  "Have  ye  not  read  what 
Moses  saith  ?"  So  also  at  the  crucifixion, 
'*This  title  then  read  many  of  the  Jews." 
Such  training  was  solemnly  enjoined  in  their 
law.  "  The  words  which  I  command  thee  this 
day  shall  be  in  thy  heart,  and  thou  shalt  teach 
them  diligently  to  thy  children,  and  thou  shalt 
write  them  upon  tlie  posts  of  thine  house,  and 
on  thy  gates."  The  priests,  Levites,  and 
prophets  did  this  work;  and  a  great  work  it 
was.  ])r.  Lightfoot,  in  speaking  of  the  man- 
gier in  wliich  a  portion  of  this  work  was  done, 
tells  us,  ''It  has  l)ecn  the  way  of  God  to  in- 
struct his  pe(>[)le    In'  a   studious  and  learned 


or  THE   VROPHETS.  39 

ministry  ever  siuce  he  gave  a  written  v^ord  to 
instruct  them  in.  Who  were  the  standi n 2: 
ministry  of  Israel  in  all  the  time  from  the  giv- 
ing of  the  law  till  the  captivity  in  Babylon  ? 
Not  prophets  or  inspired  men^  for  they  were 
but  occasional  teachers,  but  the  priests  and 
Levites,  who  became  learned  in  the  law  by 
study;  and  for  this  purpose  they  were  dis- 
tributed into  forty-eight  cities  as  so  many 
universities,  where  they  studied  the  law  to- 
gether, and  from  thence  were  sent  out  into 
the  several  synagogues  to  teach  the  people. 
Contributions  were  made  for  the  support  of 
these  students  while  they  studied  in  the  uni- 
versities, as  well  as  afterwards  when  they 
preached  in  the  synagogues.^'-^ 

The  authority  appointed  by  Moses  to  teach 
the  people  were  the  priests  and  Levites.  A 
great  part  of  their  work  was  ritual  service, 
and  after  the  death  of  Moses,  without  the 
strong  hand,  vigorous  will,  and  enlightened 
judgment  of  that  man  of  God,  the  nation 
seems  to  have  gone  backward  in  moral  prac- 
tice. Under  the  rule  of  the  judges  we  find 
an  unsettled  government,  with  a  people  whose 
power  to  discern  spiritual  trutli  was  limited, 

*LiFhtrooi^'s  vvorkf    vol,  ].  p.  257. 


40  THE   SCHOOLS 

Those  who  ought  to  have  taught  the  people 
seem  to  have  neglected  their  work.  "After 
the  days  of  Eleazer  and  Phineas,  neither 
priests  nor  Levites  seem  to  have  devoted 
themselves  to  the  teaching  of  the  people." 
A  glimpse  of  their  character  may  be  seen  in 
the  infamous  conduct  of  the  sons  of  Eli. 

God  did  not  mean  to  forsake  his  people 
nor  make  void  his  promise  to  Abraham, 
"While  priest  and  Levite  were  thus  neglect- 
ing their  duty  he  was  preparing  for  them 
another  teacher,  who  was  to  restore  prophecy 
and  lay  deep  and  strong  the  foundations  of 
religious  truth  that  was  in  coming  years  to 
more  thoroughly  permeate  and  strengthen 
the  nation.  In  the  house  of  Eli  there  was 
a  young  man  who  from  his  earliest  youth 
had  been  consecrated  to  the  Lord.  He  had 
the  counsel  of  Eli  while  he  waited  upon  the 
service  of  the  tabernacle.  Better  than  all, 
he  had  access  to  the  writings  stored  there. 
Doubtless  much  of  his  time  was  given  to 
these  sacred  records,  and  from  them  he 
learned  the  great  truths  which  afterwards 
seemed  to  influence  his  whole  life.  After 
the  battle  of  Ebenezer,  and  the  discomfiture 
of   the  Israelites,  the    saddened  people    came 


OF    THE   PROPHETS.  41 

to  him  as  their  only  liuman  help.  He  urged 
them  to  throw  away  their  idols.  He  roade 
provision  for  the  administration  of  justice  to 
the  people.  In  the  next  place  Samuel  de- 
termined to  raise  the  nation  to  a  higher  in- 
tellectual standard,  and  for  this  purpose  he 
gathered  about  him  at  Kaioth,  that  is,  the 
meadow  at  Ramah,  where  he  had  his  resi- 
dence, a  number  of  young  men  whom  he 
trained  in  reading,  writing,  and  music.  These 
were  not  inspired  men,  but  persons  of  earnest 
rehgious  life,  who  would  be  of  great  help  to 
him  in  teaching  the  people.  Anxious  that 
such  pious,  earnest  teachers  should  be  scattered 
throughout  the  land,  no  doubt  in  his  judicial 
visits  to  Mizpeh,  Bethel,  Gilgal,  and  elsewhere, 
he  would  seek  out  such  men,  whether  among 
priests,  Levites,  or  wherever  he  could  find 
them,  and,  if  young  and  in  need  of  friendly 
instruction,  take  them  to  his  own  house  and 
teach  them.  As  their  numbers  increased  and 
bis  labors  multiplied,  he  would  select  other 
teachers  to  aid  him  in  his  arduous  work;  and 
thus  were  laid  deep  and  strong  the  foundations 
of  the  "  theological  seminaries,"  or  as  they 
were  then  called,  '^ schools  of  the  prophetSy' 
and  of  wliose  historv  we  afterwards  read  so 


42  THE    SCHOOLS 

much,  especially  in  the  kingdom  of  Israel. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  a  course  of  in- 
struction which  was  destined  to  do  much  for 
the  nation  ;  indeed,  it  was  the  beginning  of  a 
new  life.  That  they  did  a  glorious  work  in 
developing  and  lifting  up  the  nation  in  a 
short  period  of  time,  is  readily  seen  if  we  con- 
trast the  roughness  and  anarchy  and  crime  of 
the  times  of  the  judges  with  the  learning,  order, 
and  piety  of  David's  reign. 

It  will  be  interesting  to  examine  further 
into  this  new  feature  of  the  national  economy. 
This  first  school  was  organized  at  Ramah^ 
where  Samuel  lived,  and  where  his  father  had 
dwelt  before  him.  Samuel  desired  to  give  the 
Jewish  nation  a  permanent  existence  and 
superiority,  and  to  do  this  he  felt  it  necessary 
to  raise  them  to  such  a  pitch  of  moral,  intel- 
lectual, and  religious  excellence  as  they  had 
never  before  reached.  By  his  own  unaided 
effort  he  could  do  but  little.  He  therefore 
gathered  around  him  religious  men;  he  deep- 
ened their  convictions,  enlarged  their  knowl- 
edge, kindled  their  zeal,  filled  them  with  his 
own  earnestness,  and  then  sent  them  forth 
to  awaken  the  nation  to  a  more  vigorous  life. 
From  this  small  beginning  grew   up  the  ^r^^ 


OF   THE   PROPHETS.  43 

Ileljreio  university.  From  it  sprang  wonderful 
results.  David  was  an  educated  man  and 
gathered  around  him  men  of  similar  acquire- 
ments. His  son  was  the  wonder  of  the  age 
for  literary  skill.  David  must  have  learned 
reading,  writing,  and  possibly  music,  in  Sam- 
uel's school.  From  this  time  forth,  until  the 
land  and  the  people  were  wasted  by  foreign 
invasions,  the  Isrealites  were  a  highly  educated 
and  intelligent  people. 

Like  the  rest  of  the  people,  these  young 
men  at  first  dwelt  in  tents.  As  their  numbers 
increased  they  w^ould  soon  have  a  more  settled 
discipline  and  perhaps  more  permanent  dwell- 
ings. Their  training  was  chiefly  in  reading 
and  writing,  the  foundation  of  all  intellectual 
culture.  It  also  consisted  of  music,  which 
afterwards  formed  a  prominent  part  of  the 
temple  service  established  by  David,  Nathan, 
and  Gad,  who  probably  had  been  trained  by 
Samuel  himself.  This,  -at  first  sight,  may 
seem  not  a  very  important  branch  of  service, 
and  yet  a  little  reflection  will  show  us  how 
important  a  part  it  played  in  Samuel's  plan. 
It  was  a  step  towards  a  more  intellectual  and 
spiritual  worship.  Dy  means  of  psalms  and 
hymns  ;nul   si^iritual   songs  their  hearts  more 


44  THE    SCHOOLS 

readily  rose  to  communion  witii  God.  After 
the  captivity  this  psalm  service,  with  additions 
of  prayer  and  reading  the  Scriptures,  constit- 
uted the  service  in  the  synagogue  throughout 
the  land,  and  we,  to-day,  read  the  same 
prophets  they  read  and  sing  the  same  psalms 
they  sung. 

Farther  along  in  the  sacred  record  we  read 
of  similar  schools  at  Bethel,  Jericho,  and  Gil- 
gal,  most  of  them  places  connected  with 
Samuel's  history.  It  is  probable  that  after 
the  anointing  of  Saul  as  king,  when  some- 
what relieved  from  the  cares  of  government, 
Samuel  gave  himself  more  fully  to  the  establish- 
ing of  these  schools  and  the  instruction  of  the 
pupils;  at  least  some  one  did,  because  in  a  few 
years  they  became  a  numerous  class.  After 
Jezebel's  cruel  persecution  Ahab  was  able  to 
collect  in  one  town,  where  there  was  no  school, 
four  hundred  of  these  men. 

The  general  government  of  these  schools 
would  likely  rest  in  the  hands  of  the  prophet 
inspired  at  that  time.  God  himself  chose 
their  president.  When  the  students  at  Jericho 
saw  that  Elijah's  spirit  rested  upon  Elisha 
they  recognized  him  as  their  head.  As  their 
head,  he  leads  a  bus}^  life.    "\7e  find  him  at 


OF   TUK   PROPHETS.  45 

Uotljau,  at  Siiniaria,  on  Mount  Carniel,  at 
Shunem,  at  Damascus.  He  enables  the  widow 
of  one  of  these  prophets  to  pay  her  debts. 
At  Gilgal  he  makes  the  poisoned  pottage 
wholesome,  and  increases  the  offering  of  the 
man  of  Baal-Shalisha,  that  there  may  be  an 
abundance  of  food  for  his  one  hundred  students. 
This  grey-haired  president  goes  out  with  them 
to  cut  timber  for  a  new  building,  and  restores 
to  one  of  them  the  ax  lost  in  the  Jordan. 

Most  of  the  references  to  the  "schools  of 
the  prophets"  connect  them  with  the  northern 
kingdom.  God,  out  of  the  kindness  of  his 
heart,  seems  to  have  granted  his  people  this 
compensation  in  lieu  of  the  loss  of  the  temple 
service,  and  on  account  of  the  absence  of  the 
priests  and  Levites.  Because  little  is  said  of 
them  we  can  not  infer  there  were  none  in 
Judea.  Wot  so  many  w^ere  needed,  for  here 
were  the  priests  and  Levites  belonging  to 
both  kingdoms,  but  there  are  incidental  cir- 
cumstances that  go  to  show^  that  these  schools 
w^ere  somewhat  numerous  in  the  southern 
kingdom.  The  prophets  quote  in  such  a  way 
from  each  other  as  to  show  they  quote  from 
written  books;  more  than  this,  they  seem 
often  to  use  the  same  metaphors,   the    same 


46  THE   SCHOOLS 

phrases,  certain  expressions,  with  the  same 
meaning,  showing  evidently  there  was  some 
center  where  they  congregated,  where  the 
young  were  educated,  and  where  the  inspired 
writings  were  studied.  There  is  a  great  prob- 
ability of  the  existence  of  such  a  college  at 
Jerusalem,  with  Isaiah  at  its  head;  if  so,  then 
Jeremiah  was  here,  for  he  was  very  intimate 
with  Isaiah's  prophecies.  Obadiah  also  had 
knowledge  of  Jeremiah's  teachings,  and  in 
many  cases  uses  them  freely.  Many  prophets 
are  mentioned  in  this  locality, — not  always  per- 
sons whose  mfiral  influence  was  good,  but  per- 
sons of  high  culture.  Instead  of  opposing  the 
incoming  tide  of  wickedness  and  idolatry,  they 
went  with  the  multitude  to  do  evil.  Amos 
was  called  from  his  garden  to  the  prophetic 
office,  yet  in  his  writings  are  traces  of  a  well- 
taught  and  well-informed  man.  Learning  to 
read  and  w^rite  were  attainments  not  so  easy  in 
that  day  as  since  the  invention  of  printing  and 
the  multiplication  of  books.  This  man  is  one 
proof  of  that  high  pitch  of  intellectual  culture 
to  which  the  nation  had  attained  before  the 
land  'was  invaded  and  the  people  carried  into 
captivity. 

These  *'sons  of  the  prophets"  were  married 


(*F  TBE    PROPHETS.  47 


xnen — whether  before  or  after  graduation 
we  are  not  toUl ;  but  we  are  told  of  "a  certain 
woman  of  the  wives  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets." 
The  husband  of  this  one  incurred  debts.  Hence 
his  maintenance  was  not  entirely,  if  at  all, 
secured  by  contributions  from  boards  of  edu- 
cation, but  from  his  own  personal  labors.  The 
creditor  comes  to  attach  the  children  as  secu- 
rities. The  woman  in  her  trouble  goes  to 
Elisha.  She  tells  him  she  has  but  a  pot  of 
oil  in  the  house  with  which  to  pay  this  debt. 
The  prophets,  therefore,  had  separate  houses 
and  their  own  furniture,  possibly  had  their 
own  gardens,  cared  for  their  own  olive-trees, 
and  produced  their  own  oil. 

It  is  highly  probable  that  Manasseh  in  his 
wicked  reign  broke  down  these  ^'schools  of 
the  prophets ;''  and,  though  possibly  restored 
after  the  exile,  they  never  attained  the  strength 
and  permanence  they  previously  had,  especial- 
ly as  the  .prophets  themselves,  influenced  by 
the  prevalence  of  wickedness  about  them,  par- 
took of  the  general  corruption,  in  a  little 
time  the  downfall  of  the  nation  was  accom- 
plished. The  better  portion  were  carried 
captive,  and  the  remainder,  except  those  that 
fled  to  Egypt,  perished.     We  And  little  trace 


48  'I'HE   SCHOOIS 

of  these  ''  scliools  "  about  this  time,  but  there 
evidently  was  considerable  study  of  written 
prophecy.     Ezekiel  discoursed  with  the  peo- 
ple and  elders  of  Israel  as  they  were  gathered 
on  the  banks  of  the  canal  near  Babylon.     He 
encouraged  them  to  follow  God,  and  promised 
them  deliverance.     Daniel  instructed  his  peo- 
ple by  precept  and  example,  prevented  idola- 
trous practices,  and  encouraged  piety.     They 
faithfully   studied   the   prophecies   of  Isaiah, 
Jeremiah,  and  others  they  carried  w^ith  them, 
and  learned  when  the  time  for  restoration  had 
arrived.     Permission  is  granted  and  a  portion 
return  to  Jerusalem.      Others  remain  in  the 
land  of  their  birth,  and  from  this  time  com- 
menced  the   growth    of    a    series  of   Jewish 
schools  in  Babylon,  which  in  their  day  were 
very  famous — the  universities  of  Sura,  Pum- 
hedliha^  Nehardia,  and   others.     Between  the 
third  and   fourth   centuries  these   celebrated 
schools   were    destroyed,  but   their  teachings 
were   chiefly   preserved    in     the   '^Gemaras" 
and  "  Talmuds."     A  century  or  two  after,  they 
were  re-organized  and  flourished,  producing 
some  eminent  poets,  theologians,  and  linguists. 
When  Ezra  and  Xehemiah  came  back  to  re- 
build   the    temple,  they  brought    priests    and 


OF   THE   PROPHETS.  49 

Levites  with  them.  They  had  kept  up  among 
themselves  at  least  a  considerable  knowledge 
of  the  Mosaic  law.  The  Jews  who  returned 
had  most  of  them  been  born  in  Babylon, 
hence  their  language  was  a  mixture  of  the 
Chaldaic.  When  Ezra  read  the  law  the  peo- 
ple could  not  understand  the  pure  Hebrew  of 
Moses,  so  the  priests  interpreted.  "  So  they 
read  in  the  book  in  the  law  of  God  distinctly, 
and  o:ave  the  sense  and  caused  them  to  un- 
derstand  the  reading."  At  this  time  also 
lived  Haggai,  Zechariah,  and  Malachi.  This 
was  a  period  of  considerable  intellectual  activ- 
ity. Their  stay  in  captivity  had  purified  their 
morals  and  awakened  their  intellectual  ener- 
gies. Ezra  with  the  persons  above  named, 
and  others,  ^'the  men  of  the  great  assembly," 
w^ere  the  chief  teachers  of  the  day.  Quite  a 
number  of  books  were  written  and  collected, 
such  as  "  Chronicles,"  "  Wars,"  and  others ; 
but  most  valuable  of  all,  the  Scriptures  were 
collected,  authenticated,  and  arranged  in  can- 
on. The  Pentateuch  was  read  and  taught  in 
the  schools  and  translated  into  the  Chaldean 
language.  Farther  on  traditions,  explanatory 
or  complementary  to  the  law  of  Moses,  were 
traced  back  through  prophets  and  elders  to 
4 


50  THE   8GH00L8 

that  lawgiver,  and  were  systematically  estab- 
lished as  the  oral  law.  We  fiud  celebrated 
schools  for  instruction  in  the  law  up  to  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah.  Two  of  these  in  their 
day  attained  great  prominence — the  rival 
schools  of  Hillel  and  Shammai.  "Palestine 
continued  to  be  a  national  center  through  ita 
schools  of  religious  science,  which,  after  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  flourished  at  Jamnia, 
Lydda,  Usha,  Sephoris,  Tiberias,  and  other 
places,  under  the  lead  of  the  presidents  of  the 
Sanhedrim  of  the  house  of  Hillel."  Of  this 
house,  and  possibly  at  the  head  of  one  of  these 
schools  was  the  famous  Gamaliel,  the  teacher 
oi  the  Apostle  Paul.  The  results  of  Hillel's 
teachings  were  collected  by  his  successor  and 
preserved  in  the  "Mishna." 

When  Christ  came  he  found  the  nation  far 
above  the  average  in  intellectual  ability.  The 
Greek  language  had  made  its  way  into  the 
land.  The  Greek  translation  of  the  Script- 
ures was  read  in  the  synagogues.  Schools  of 
philosophy  existed,  controlled  by  skillful  teach- 
ers. With  such  a  foundation  upon  which  to 
build,  when  all  this  previous  and  designed 
preparation  had  l)een  made,  when  the  sacred 
books  had  been  examined  and  read  and  com- 


OF   THE   PROPHETS.  51 

mented  upon  by  the  teachers  of  the  day,  he 
came  to  build  his  own  glorious  superstructure 
of  truth,  in  which  teacher  and  scholar  were 
hereafter  to  find  that  which  should  feed  the 
weakest  nature  as  well  as  the  strongest  powers. 

At  the  advent  of  the  Messiah  the  first  thing 
done  was  to  organize  the  "  college  of  the 
apostles" — i\\Q  first  theological  seminary  oi  the 
new  dispensation.  Here,  with  the  best  of 
teachers,  the  twelve  learned  lessons  of  wisdom 
and  instruction.  Many  of  these  were  very 
ordinary  pupils.  Their  minds  slowly  compre- 
hended the  great  work  of  the  Master.  After 
listening  to  his  instructions  for,  to  them,  three 
short  years;  having  journeyed  with  him  on  his 
missions  of  mercy  to  needy  humanity;  having 
had  these  truths,  this  teaching,  and  these  ex- 
planations blessed  to  their  awakening,  a  new 
life  .was  kindled  within  them,  and  they  went 
forth  to  teach  and  to  suffer  for  the  Master's 
work. 

Thus  in  laying  the  foundations  of  the 
Christian  church  upon  the  substratum  of 
Jewish  thought,  Christ  gave  it  a  distinctively 
educational  character.  The  church  a  teacher 
was  the  prominent  idea.  He  appointed  men 
to  teach;  he  made  the  office  permanent;  he 


52  THE   SCHOOLS 

promised  to  be  with  them,  and  aid  them  by 
his  Spirit.  When  his  apostles  were  sent  forth 
they  were  to  "teach  all  nations."  They  estab- 
lished churches  and  put  over  them  teachers. 
One  of  the  first  qualifications  of  an  elder  was, 
"apt  to  teach."  Ministers  were  to  give  atten- 
tion to  reading,  to  exhortation,  to  doctrine, 
that  their  profiting  might  appear  to  all. 

The  Jews  who  had  fled  to  Alexandria  when 
Jerusalem  was  sacked,  increased  rapidly  by 
the  addition  of  other  fugitives.  About  300 
B.  C.  they  were  so  numerous  that  a  transla- 
tion of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  into  Greek, 
termed  ih^Septuagint,  was  made  for  their  espe- 
cial benefit.  This  was  the  occasion  of  the  trans- 
planting of  Hebrew  literature  into  Alexandria. 
Here  it  came  in  contact  with  the  renowned 
schools  of  Grecian  philosophy,  and  the  contest 
between  Christianity  and  rationalistic  philos- 
ophy commenced.  The  founding  of  the  cel- 
ebrated Alexandrian  library  furnished  the 
instruments  for  the  prosecution  of  this  work. 
The  struggle  required  able  scholars,  and  this 
gave  rise  to  some  of  the  finest  schools  and 
the  best  cultivated  men  that  age  produced. 
Among  these  defenders  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion the  names  of  Origen,  Pant?enus,  Atha- 


OF   THE   PROPHETS.  53 

nasius,  Gregory  of  Nazianzen,  aud  Cyril,  with 
others,  stand  out  very  prominent. 

Mosheim,  speaking  of  this  early  period  of 
the  church  and  of  the  schools  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  young,  says  :  "  From  these  schools 
for  children  we  must  distinguish  those  semi- 
naries of  the  early  Christians,  erected  extensively 
in  the  larger  cities,  at  which  adults,  and  espe- 
cially such  as  aspired  to  be  public  teachers,  were 
instructed  and  educated  in  all  the  branches  of 
learning,  both  human  and  divine.  St.  John 
erected  a  school  of  this  kind  at  Ephesus,  and 
one  of  the  same  nature  was  founded  by  Poly- 
carp,  at  Smyrna;  but  none  of  them  were  in 
greater  repute  than  that  which  was  establish- 
ed at  Alexandria,  which  was  commonly  called 
a  catechetical  school." 

INeander,  speaking  of  this  same  center  of 
learning,  tells  us  how  these  theological  pupils 
were  at  times  employed.  "  We  find  original- 
ly at  Alexandria  only  one  person  appointed 
as  catechist  by  the  bishop,  whose  business  it 
was  to  communicate  religious  instruction  to 
the  heathen  as  well  as  to  instruct  the  children 
of  the  place  in  their  religion.  Origen  was 
was  the  first  who,  as  catechist,  divided  with 
another   person   the    duties    of   this    calling, 


54  THE  SCHOOLS 

which  had  become  too  much  for  him  while  he 
was  prosecuting,  at  the  same  time,  his  learn- 
ed labors  in  theology,  and  on  that  account  he 
formed  his  catechumens  into  two  classes.  But 
although  in  some  other  places  the  catechist 
might  not  need  to  possess  very  high  spiritual 
qualities  and  peculiar  knowledge,  the  case  was 
different  at  Alexandria,  where  they  often  had 
to  instruct  men  of  a  literary  and  philosophical 
turn  of  mind,  who  had  already  investigated  a 
variety  of  subjects  in  order  to  find  a  system  of 
religious  truth  adapted  to  their  wants,  and 
where  they  were  often  obliged  to  converse 
with  such  men  on  religious  subjects  and  phil- 
osophical matters  which  are  connected  with 
them." 

At  this  period  in  the  church's  history  we 
find  schools  established  and  in  good  condition 
at  Edessa,  Nisebis,  Seleucia,  Ephesus,  Smyrna, 
Eome,  Csesarea,  Antioch,  Alexandria,  and 
other  places  of  notoriety  in  that  day — places 
where  candidates  for  the  ministry  were  prop- 
erly fitted  for  their  work,  and  teachers  were 
prepared  who  should  go  out  and  give  instruc- 
tion in  sacred  things.  As  a  result  of  this  grew 
up  the  day  schools  of  that  period,  which  serv- 
ed to  counteract  the   teaching   of  paganism. 


OF   THE   PROPHETS.  55 

^^All  this  was  required  to  the  accomplish- 
ment of  their  oliject  of  gradually  abolishing 
pagan  idolatry ;  for  the  old  religion  of  the 
pagans  derived  its  chief  support  from  the 
learning  of  its  advocates ;  and,  moreover,  if 
the  Christian  youth  could  find  no  instructors 
of  their  own  religion,  there  was  danger  of 
their  applying  to  the  pagan  teachers  of  phi- 
losophy and  rhetoric,  to  the  injury  of  true  re- 
ligion."* 

When  church  and  state  became  united  under 
Constantine,  schools  and  learning,  as  well  as 
Christianity,  began  to  decline.  These  schools, 
at  times  aided  and  at  other  periods  trammeled 
by  the  government,  sunk  into  slothfulness, 
and  their  growth  was  paralyzed.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  there  must  have  been  a  total 
loss  of  letters,  had  it  not  been  that  some 
knowledge  was  necessary  in  conducting  wor- 
ship, and  hence  the  clergy  were  compelled  to 
know  something.  "  This  state  of  general  ig- 
norance," says  Hallam,  '' lasted,  with  no  very 
sensible  difference,  on  a  superficial  view",  for 
about  five  centuries,  during  which  every  sort 
of  knowledge  was  almost  wholly  confined  to 
the  ecclesiastical   order.      But   among   them, 

•Moshoim.  vol.  1,  p.  230. 


56  THE   SCHOOLS 

althongli  instances  of  gross  ignorance  were 
exceedingly  frequent,  the  necessity  of  preserv- 
ing the  Latin  language  in  which  the  Script- 
ures, the  canons,  and  other  authorities  of  the 
church  and  the  regular  liturgies  were  written, 
and  in  which  alone  the  correspondence  of  their 
well- organized  hierarchy  could  be  conducted, 
kept  flowing,  in  the  worst  season,  a  slender  but 
living  stream."  While  the  clergy  of  that 
day  do  not  come  up  to  our  idea  of  wiiat  they 
should  be;  while  they  were  indeed  very  igno- 
rant, we  must  not  forget  that  but  for  these 
the  records  of  philological  literature  would 
have  perished;  all  grammatical  learning  would 
have  been  laid  aside.  Even  Hume  admits 
that  the  church  was  the  great  depository  of 
learning  in  the  days  of  Alfred.  ''  The  mon- 
asteries were  destroyed  by  the  ravages  of  the 
Danes,  the  monks  butchered  or  dispersed, 
their  libraries  burnt;  and  thus  the  c>7iZ^ seats  of 
erudition  in  those  ages  were  totally  subverted." 
We  have  other  and  better  traces  left  us, 
showing  the  influence  of  religion  upon  educa- 
tion. When  the  dark  pall  of  ignorance  set- 
tled down  upon  the  continent,  whither  fled 
religion  and  her  schools  ?  Did  true  religion 
yield  to  the  general  gloom  that  took  possession 


OF  THE    PROPHETS.  57 

of  the  minds  of  men?  It  did  not.  We  have 
clear  evidence  of  the  location  of  gospel  in- 
stitutions in  Scotland  and  Ireland  near  the 
beginning  of  the  third  century.  "The  Scotg 
were  taught  Christianity  by  the  disciples  of 
the  Apostle  John,  and  many  churches  of  the 
Britons,  fearing  the  cruelty  of  Domitian,  took 
their  journey  into  Scotland."  "In  the  year 
A.  D.  563  the  celebrated  abbey,  or  rather 
theological  college,  was  founded  in  Scotland  by 
Columba,  at  loiia,  which  continued  to  flourish 
for  many  ages  as  the  light  of  the  western 
world,  and  to  supply  with  ministers  of  the 
gospel  both  Scotland  and  England."  From 
this  source  went  forth  those  influences,  and 
indeed  the  men  who  lent  their  aid  toward  re- 
viving learning  in  the  empire  of  Charlemagne. 
Wrought  upon  by  these  Christian  seminaries, 
and  by  the  influence  of  men  who  had  received 
their  training  here,  the  historian  tells  us  that 
"in  the  year  787  Charlemagne  addressed  an 
injunction  to  the  bishops  and  abbots  requir- 
ing them  to  set  up  schools,  which  were  not 
for  children,  but  for  monks,  who  were  to  be 
taught  the  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures  and 
the  learning  requisite  for  that  purpose."*  From 

♦Mosheim,  toI.  2,  p.  15. 


58  THE   SCHOOLS 

the  same  source  (lona)  the  rays  diverged  which 
penetrated  the  valley  of  the  Rhine,  and  mis- 
sionaries from  the  Scotch,  English,  and  Irish 
schools  kindled  up  the  lights  of  religion,  of 
literature,  and  of  science  amid  the  forests  of 
Germany.  Here,  above  all  places,  was  true 
religion  found,  and  here  a  genuine  missionary 
spirit  was  created.  This  little  island,  until  the 
close  of  the  eighth  century,  was  the  only  light 
of  the  western  world.  Here  were  elders  or- 
dained who  carried  the  gospel  throughout  all 
Britain.  Burning  with  true  religious  zeal, 
they  hastened  forth  to  teach  their  brethren 
the  doctrines  which  they  had  learned.  This 
free  church  of  Scotland  did  more  for  the  con- 
version of  central  Europe  than  any  other 
power.  They  sowed  the  seeds  which,  in  the 
days  of  Huss  and  Jerome,  brought  forth 
abundant  and  glorious  fruit.  This  theological 
school  manfully  opposed  the  innovations  of 
the  Catholic  power,  and  was  the  last  in 
Scotland,  w^iich  itself  was  the  b'st  of  the 
British  isles,  to  succumb  to  the  pope  of 
Rome. 

At  an  early  day  in  the  history  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  there  were  persons  living  who 
thought  they  could  be  more  devoted  Christians 


OP  THE   PROPHETS.  59 

it*  they  lived  apart  from  the  multitude  and 
sousrht  the  seclusion  of  the  forest.  After  a 
time  they  built  their  huts  near  each  other,  and 
thus  formed  a  kind  of  community.  Finally 
they  built  one  dwelling  and  all  lived  in  that. 
At  first,  certain  rules  agreed  upon  by  them- 
selves governed  their  lives.  These  persons 
were  looked  upon  with  a  great  deal  of  awe 
and  respect  by  their  friends  and  the  world  at 
large.  They  grew  rapidly.  They  spent,  at 
first,  a  portion  of  the  time  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits, the  remainder  in  teaching  and  being 
taught.  They  sought  each  other's  religious  edi- 
fication. At  first  they  were  not  of  the  clergy,  but 
their  reputation  for  sanctity  spread  very  rapid- 
ly, and  in  that  dark  age  their  piety  was  of 
course  wonderfully  magnified.  As  they  multi- 
plied, their  demands  were  more  frequent,  and 
more  valuable  concessions  were  made,  until,  in 
response  to  their  own  wishes,  they  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  ranks  of  the  clergy.  "  The  rev- 
olution for  which  they  had  labored  from  the 
end  of  the  fourth  century  was  consummated 
about  the  end  of  the  sixth  and  beginning  of 
the  seventh  century."* 

The  purpose  for  which  I  refer  to  these  mou- 

*Guizot,  vol.  2,  p.  S09. 


60  THE   SCBIOOLS 

asteries  is  to  show  that,  from  the  time  of  their 
origin  or  near  that,  until  their  destruction,  or 
until  the  founding  of  the  universities  of  Eu-- 
rope,  these  were  the  theological  schools  of  the 
church ;  yea,  more  than  this,  they  were  the 
preservers  of  literature  during  that  night  of 
darkness  that  rested  like  a  pall  upon  all  Eu- 
rope. Their  teaching  often  was  very  poor; 
their  teachers  were  as  poor  as  their  teaching. 
One  shudders  as  he  reads  in  authentic  history 
of  the  gross  ignorance  of  the  clergy  during 
the  dark  ages,  and  yet  is  cheered  to  find  even 
this  glimmering  ray  amid  the  dense  darkness 
that  existed. 

"Toward  the  end  of  the  sixth  century  there 
are  no  longer  any  civil  schools ;  ecclesiastical 
schools  alone  exist.  These  were  schools  in  the 
monasteries.  The  exercises  were  of  two  kinds. 
Some  of  the  most  distinguished  monks  gave  di- 
rect instruction  to  the  members  of  the  congre- 
gation and  to  the  young  people  who  were  being 
brought  up  at  the  monastery ;  it  was,  more- 
over, the  custom  in  a  large  number  of  the 
monasteries  that  after  the  lectures,  at  which 
the  monks  were  bound  to  attend,  they  should 
have  conferences  among  themselves  upon 
whatever  had  been  made  the  subject  of  the 


OF   THE   PROPHETS.  61 

lecture;  and  these  conferences  became  a  power- 
ful means  of  intellectual  instruction  and  de-" 
velopment."*  Of  the  western  schools  the 
same  historian  has  said :  *'The  monasteries  of 
Lerins,  St.  Victor,  and  many  others,  were 
especially  great  schools  of  theology,  the  focuses 
of  intellectual  movement.  It  w^as  by  no  means 
with  solitude  or  mortification,  but  with  discus- 
sion and  activity  that  they  then  concerned 
themselves"  (p.  214).  ''The  monasteries  of  the 
south  of  Greece  were  philosophical  schools  of 
Christianity.  It  was  there  that  intellectual 
men  meditated,  discussed,  taught.  It  was 
from  them  that  new  ideas  and  daring  thoughts 
were  sent  forth."  Mosheim  tells  us  (vol.  2, 
p.  15)  that  in  the  eighth  century  "the  more 
discerning  abbots  or  rulers  of  the  monasteries 
opened  schools  in  wdiich  some  of  the  fraternity 
taught  the  Latin  language,  and  other  things 
deemed  necessary  for  a  monk  or  a  preacher J^ 
In  another  place  the  same  writer  remarks : 
''Until  the  commencement  of  this  century 
(eleventh)  the  only  schools  were  those  attached 
to  the  monasteries  and  the  cathedral  churches, 
and  the  only  teachers  of  secular  as  well  as 
sacred  learning  were  the  Benedictine  monks" 

*GuJzot,   vol.  2,  p.  31S. 


62  THE   SCHOOLS 

(p.  150).  Ih  speaking  of  the  attentioo  given 
bj  the  church  to  this  matter  before  the  twelfth 
century,  the  historian  of  European  civilization 
tells  us,  "For  the  development  of  the  clergy, 
for  the  instruction  of  the  priesthood,  the 
church  was  anxiously  alive.  To  promote 
this  she  had  her  schools,  her  colleges,  and  all 
other  institutions  whicli  the  deplorable  state 
of  society  would  permit.  These  schools  and 
colleges  were  all  theological,  and  destined  for 
the  education  of  the  clergy  aloneJ^'^ 

These  schools  declined  during  the  twelfth 
century.  A  new  day  seemed  to  be  breaking 
upon  the  intellectual  horizon.  There  began 
to  grow  up  in  the  minds  of  many  a  desire  to 
for  a  purer  theology — a  system  divested  of  the 
traditions  and  scholastic  technicalities  which 
had  clung  to  the  past.  About  this  time  a  copy 
of  the  Pandects  was  found  and  presented  to  the 
city  of  Pisa.  In  a  little  time  there  was  manifest- 
ed an  eagerness  to  understand  it.  Hence  asso- 
ciations of  men  were  formed  in  many  places 
for  teaching  this  and  other  branches.  Youths, 
eager  for  instruction,  resorted  to  them.  In 
these  gatherings  we  have  the  foundation  of 
the  universities  of  the  next  century,  some  of 

*Guizot,Tol.  1,  p.  132. 


OB^  THE    PROPHETS.  63- 

which  remain  until  the  present.  The  major- 
ity flocked  to  these  new  seats  of  learning.  In 
these  schools  arrangements  were  made  for  fac- 
ulties of  philosophy,  theology,  jurisprudence, 
and  medicine.  From  this  period  we  date  the 
beginning  of  theological  schools  in  connec- 
tion with  universities.  Wherever  these  high- 
schools  were  established  there  was  found  a 
theological  school,  with  pupils  and  a  doctor 
of  theology.  Among  those  most  famous  were 
the  universi-ies  of  Bologna,  the  Sorbonne  of 
Paris,  Padua,  Modena,  ;N"aples,  Capua,  Tou- 
louse, Salamanca,  Lyons,  and  Cologne.  In 
some  of  these  schools,  as  at  Paris,  there  were 
several  theological  professors.  These,  with 
similar  schools  elsewhere,  afforded  the  culture 
received  by  the  clergy  until  the  time  of  Lu- 
ther. Indeed,  in  the  teaching  of  these  same 
schools  were  sown  the  seeds  of  the  Reforma- 
tion. **  At  the  Reformation  universities  were 
used  in  all  countries  for  the  training  of  an 
able  ministry.'"^  Those  who  think  that  the 
reformation  of  the  "  sixteenth  century  was 
brought  about  by  ignorant  men,  or  that  God 
used  untrained,  illiterate,  and  incompetent 
men  for  such  a  work,  make  a  great  mistake. 

•Guizot,  p.  131. 


64  THE   SCHOOLS 

Those  who,  humanly  speaking,  fought  the 
great  fight  against  popery,  were  men  of  the 
finest  culture  and  most  extensive  acquire- 
ments." Says  Prof.  Tyler,  and  very  truthful- 
ly, too  :  "  The  reformers — those  before  the 
E-eformation  as  well  as  the  reformers  usually 
so  called — Wickliife  and  IIuss  and  Reuchlin 
and  Erasmus,  Luther  and  Melancthon  and 
Bucer  and  Calvin  and  Tindale  and  Bilney 
and  Latimer  and  Knox,  were  men  train- 
ed in  the  universities,  and  thus  prepared  by 
the.  providence  as  well  as  the  grace  of  God  for 
the  work  which  they  were  destined  to  accom- 
plish. It  was  while  they  were  students  in  the 
university  that  new  light  dawned  upon  their 
eouls ;  and  the  Greek  Testament^  accompanied 
in  several  instances  by  the  Latin  translation  of 
Erasmus  was  to  most  of  them  the  source 
from  w^hence  the  new  light  shone.  The  larger 
part  of  them  w^ere  afterwards  professors  in 
the  universities,  and  from  these  fortresses  of 
learning  and  influence  they  hurled  their  mis- 
siles at  the  corruptions  of  the  papal  church; 
from  these  centers  of  illumination  they  scat- 
tered light  over  the  dark  waters.  The  uni- 
versities of  Prague  and  Wittenberg,  of  Basle 
and  Lausanne,  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  of 


OF    THE    PROPHETS.  (35 

Strasburg  and   St.  Andrews,  were  the  birth-, 
place  of  the  Reformation." 

Who  in  the  fourteenth  century  aroused  all 
England  with  his  manly  eloquence,  and  vindi- 
cated Scripture  in  tones  heard  all  over  Europe? 
None  other  than  Wickliffe,  a  professor  of  theol- 
ogy in  the  University  of  Oxford.  Who  were  the 
witnesses  for  Christ  in  the  next  century,  before 
whom    pontifi*    and    emperor    trembled,    and 
whom  the  Council   of  Constance  condemned 
to  the  flames  ?    You  stand  by  the  fires  built  for 
them  in  the  meadow  by  the  river  side,  and  as 
you  look  upon  these  men,  who  are  this  day 
lighting  a  fire  that  shall  never  go  out,  you 
look   upon    John   Huss    and   his    companion, 
Jerome,  both  graduates  of  the  university  of 
Prague;  the  former,  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
a  theological  professor  in  the  same  university, 
and  the  latter,  if  not  himself  a  teacher,  the 
founder  of  a  university  in  which  theology  was 
taught.    And  who  are  Luther  and  Melancthon 
but  theological  professors  in  the  university  of 
Wittenberg,  unexcelled  in  their  day  and  gen- 
eration, whose  history  and  that  of  their  schoo][ 
shall  go  down  to  all  coming  time?     Who  are 
Calvin  and  Beza  but  theological  students  at 
Geneva,  who  have  left  an  influence  upon  their 
6 


66  THE   SCHOOLS 

town,  indeed  upon  all  Europe,  felt  to  this  day? 
The  first  was  the  founder  of  the  public  schools 
of  Europe,  and  indeed  of  our  own  country. 
Such  reputation  did  he  have  as  a  theological 
teacher  that  students  eagerly  repaired  to  him 
from  Scotland,  France,  Italy,  and  Germany. 
In  short,  blot  out  the  theological  schools  of 
Basil,  Halle,  Leyden,  Utrecht,  Geneva,  Witten- 
berg, Cambridge,  Oxford,  and  all  others  that 
existed  in  their  day;  lose  sight  of  all  the  pupils 
who  gathered  to  receive  and  did  receive  in- 
struction at  the  hands  of  such  teachers  as 
Oecolampadius,  Lampe,  Spanheim,  Witsius, 
Calvin,  Beza,  Luther,  Melancthon,  Bucer, 
Wickliffe,  John  Huss,  and  others  of  like 
ability;  foi'get  the  inspiration  and  earnestness 
infused  into  those  who  went  forth  from  these 
centers  of  light  to  carry  the  truths  there  learned 
to  others ;  if  by  a  single  stroke  of  the  pen  you 
could  blot  out  all  these  facts  from  church 
history  what  would  be  left  of  the  glorious 
reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century?  Theo- 
logical schools  an  innovation  !  Read  carefully 
the  history  of  the  church  during  the  century 
just  named  and  measure  if  you  can  their 
immense  power  in  setting  in  motion  and 
controlling  the   influences    that   molded    the 


OF   THE  PROPHETS.  67 

continent   and    gave    ns    the   Europe   of  to- 
day. 

Since  that  day  theological  schools,  both  upon 
the  continent  of  Europe  and  in  this  land,  have 
molded  the  churches  and  controlled  the  desti- 
nies of  the  people.  They  are  to-day  the  great 
strongholds  of  the  church  against  rationalism 
and  the  baser  forms  of  infidelity.  'No  church 
can  live  and  perform  well  her  part  in  bringing 
the  world  in  subjection  to  its  divine  Ruler 
without  them.  What  would  the  church  of 
this  land  be  to-day  without  her  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  theological  seminaries  and  the 
five  hundred  able,  faithful  instructors  who  day 
after  day  are  laying  in  the  minds  of  those  who 
congregate  there,  deep  and  strong  the  founda- 
tions of  her  faith.  What  would  the  Baptist 
Church  of  this  land  have  been  without  Shurt- 
liff'  College  with  its  one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred graduates,  and  Hamilton  Theological 
Seminary  with  her  one  thousand  ?  What  has 
Andover,  with  her  three  thousand  graduates, 
done  to  give  the  Congregational  Church  a 
record  for  learning  and  piety  unsurpassed  by 
any  other.  Take  away  Western  Theological 
Seminary,  of  Alleghany,  with  her  thousand 
graduates,  Union    Seminary,  of  New    Y'ork, 


68  THE   SCHOOLS 

with  her  one  thousand  five  hundred,  Auburn 
Theological  Seminary  with  her  one  thousand 
two  hundred,  Princeton  Theological  Seminary 
with  her  three  thousand,  and  the  score  of  lesser 
institutions  which  have  contributed  to  make 
her  what  she  is,  and  you  take  away  the  very 
life-blood  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  With- 
out these  she  would  not  to-day  occupy  her  pres- 
ent lofty  position  of  usefulness,  commanding  the 
respect  and  admiration  of  all  her  sister  churches. 
With  such  a  body  of  well-trained  and  able 
scholars  she  meets  and  vanquishes  the  enemies 
of  the  cross,  whether  on  the  platform  or  with 
the  press,  whether  in  the  fields  of  theology  or 
in  the  walks  of  literature  and  science.  Thus 
equipped  she  has  stood  like  a  mighty  bulwark 
against  the  so-called  oppositions  of  science 
and  learned  skepticism  of  the  age.  May  she 
long  live  to  pour  into  these  well-tried  institu- 
tions her  men  and  her  means,  and  thus  raise  up 
a  vast  army  of  well-trained  veterans  who  shall 
do  battle  valiantly  for  the  Master's  cause,  in 
whatever  capacity  they  may  be  called  to  act. 

Do  you  need  any  further  encouragement  in 
your  work?  Do  not  reason,  revelation,  and 
experience  bid  you  go  forward  and  lay  deep 
and  broad  and  strong  the  foundations  of  this 


OF   THE   PROPHETS.  69 

newly-planued  institution?  May  it  be  the 
Andover,  the  Princeton  of  this  church.  May 
your  sons  flock  to  it  from  the  utternaost  parts 
of  this  Zion,  and  may  they  here  receive  that 
culture  of  heart,  that  development  of  mind, 
that  attainment  of  power  which  shall  make 
them  burning  and  shining  lights  in  the  church. 
May  its  managers  be  men  of  piety,  of  wisdom, 
and  of  sound  mind.  May  its  teachers  be  men 
called  and  fitted  of  God  for  their  great  work. 
May  the  people  support  it  with  their  treasure 
and  their  prayers.  May  its  interests  have  a 
lodgment  in  all  their  hearts.  Above  all,  may 
God  record  his  name  in  it  and  smile  upon  it, 
and  may  unborn  generations  yet  arise  and  call 
its  founders  blessed. 


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